


You Saved My Life

by SecretlyADog



Series: The Call [4]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: happy for once :), well sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-06
Updated: 2020-04-06
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:26:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23510794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SecretlyADog/pseuds/SecretlyADog
Summary: Caleb isn't exactly getting better at the speed of light, but it's something.
Series: The Call [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1691638
Comments: 6
Kudos: 9





	You Saved My Life

After a particularly bad incident, Caleb got permission from Captain Fowler to bring Evelyn in to work. He put on her emotional support vest (for the first time) and let her stand on his shoulders, balancing delicately and taking in the world outside the apartment. Sometimes she'd lay down, drape herself across the back of his neck, and it felt almost like having a scarf. Admittedly, Caleb felt vaguely embarrassed about having to bring his cat in to work.

Gavin immediately harped on him about her, asking what the hell an android was doing with a cat and why he even needed her, and Caleb had leveled a cold glare at him to get him to shut up. Apparently, even with the world's prettiest cat on his shoulders, his looks could still kill because Reed finally stopped mentioning her after that.

Though Caleb had preferred the harassment to the looks of pity Anderson kept giving him.

Caleb let Evelyn down on his desk and naturally she began exploring it, sniffing at the picture that was face down and nearly knocking Caleb's monitor to the ground a few times. Caleb was just as productive as he usually was, even with a cat distracting him, but he was more cheerful. It felt like everyone had tiptoed around him; being purposefully nice, giving him apologetic looks, or generally avoiding him. Even if they didn't know what was going on, everyone had at least heard about one of his now-infamous breakdowns. It was a silent agreement between everyone to not set one off lest they have to deal with it. Except for Reed, of course, who was… well, being himself. 

Just by curling up on his lap, Evelyn set Caleb at ease, which in turn made people less uncomfortable. The whole office felt brighter.

Caleb jumped slightly at the sound of a camera clicking just to his left; he turned with wide eyes to see Officer Chen with one of the newer cameras, the brand new Polaroid models, the ones that instantly printed a high quality version of the image they took at various adjustable sizes. She grabbed the print from the camera and handed it to Caleb. “She looks so happy,” she said cheerfully. “I had to take a picture.”

Caleb stared at the image of himself working away. Evelyn  _ did _ look happy, even in sleep - she must've been grateful that Caleb didn't have to leave her for most of the day for once.

But that wasn't what surprised him. What surprised him was that, even though he looked so _ tired _ and there was still a sadness to his expression that lingered, Caleb looked… content _. _ There was a smile on his face - his version of it, the one where only the corners of his lips were turned up, but he was  _ smiling  _ for what must've been the first time since Connor died.

Caleb looked up at Chen and gave her a nod. “Thank you,” he said with more emotion than he'd meant to. She gave him a knowing smile and nodded back, wandering off to her desk.

Evelyn was already looking up at his face when he glanced down at her, still laying in his lap like there was no place she'd rather be. 

Caleb closed his eyes and had to collect himself for a moment. He didn't want to start bawling in the middle of the station; any intimidating quality that he had left would be gone at that point. He hugged Evelyn close to him for a second and then dug around in one of his drawers for a frame. Caleb had been saving a couple for more pictures of him and Connor, but…

He found one that was just about right and stuck the picture of him and Evelyn in it, setting it up across the desk from his first and only other picture. Caleb smiled fondly at it before turning the smile to Evelyn and petting her, letting her purrs relax him as he continued working.


End file.
